Slicing and storing device



March 13, 1956. H. J. HART 2,737,721

S LICING AND STORING DEVICE Filed March 5, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet. 1

H. .1. HART 2,737,721

March 13, 1956 SLICING AND STORING DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 5, 1953 IN VEN TOR. 4r/ v J /%//f 2/4 BY Y WM 1M4 lrrok/vsysr- United States Patent SLICING AND STORING DEVICE Harry J. Hart, Pittsburgh, Pa. Application March 5, 1953, Serial No. 340,610 7 Claims. on. 31-20 My invention relates to dispensing containers for loaf products, such as loafs of butter, cheese, oleomargarine, and other foods, and the invention consists in certain new and useful improvements in the structure of such containers.

The art is familiar with various types of sanitary containers for loafs or bars of butter, cheese and other perishables that are kept in modern refrigerators. Such containers prevent the perishables from drying out, and from absorbing odors, or otherwise deteriorating in storage. Certain of the known devices comprise dispensing containers; that is, containers, provided with mechanisms for ejecting their contents in selected quantities, without the contents being touched by hand. And in their highest form of refinement the containers, in addition to dispensing mechanisms, are equipped with slicing or cutting means, whereby the selected quantities of the dispensed contents may be cut away from the portions of the loaf remaining in the containers. More particularly, my invention relates to improvements in the structure of the latter type of containers.

The object of the invention is to provide a more ellicient dispensing and cutting device of the sort referred to, a device which can be economically produced in mass production. Other objects will appear to those skilled in the'art, upon considering the following specification.

' An embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. l is an exploded perspective view of the principal body members of the device, and a certain lever and leafspring associated therewith;

Fig. 2 is a view in longitudinal section of the completely assembled device, as seen on the broken section plane IIII of Fig. 3, the lever mentioned above being shown in dotted lines in one of its alternate positions and in full lines in the other position;

. Fig. 3 is a top plan view of thecompletely assembled device;

Fig. 4 is a view of the device partly in end elevation, as seen from the left of Fig. 2, and partly in vertical section, as seen on the plane IVIV of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a view in vertical cross section, as seen on the planes V-V of Fig. 2;

Fig. 6 is a view of the device in on the plane VI--VI of Fig. 3;

Fig. 7 is an exploded perspective view, showing fragmentarily one end of the lever member with a certain pinion wheel that in the assembled device is journaled in the lever;

I -Fig. 7a is a view in side elevation of the pinion alone, illustrating a modification in structure;

-Fig.- 8 is a view in rear elevation of a certain plunger included in the structure, together with a view in cross section of the plunger rod thereof, as seen on the plane VIII-VIII of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 9 is a perspective view, showing fragmentarily two body members of the device, and the leaf-spring which cooperates, with attaching lugs on the said body members.

end elevation, as seen Referring to Fig. 2 of the drawings the device comprises a container body 2 having top and bottom walls 2a and 2b, respectively, and side walls 20 and 2d, forming a bore 3 whose cross section corresponds to that of the loaf or bar of butter, or other product, to be contained therein. The body 2 is open at its left-hand end 4, but is adapted to be closed by a cross-head 5 formed integrally with the distal end of a lever 6. The righthand end of the container body is closed by an end wall 7. On the bottom wall 211 of the container body is formed a longitudinally extending channel 8. Atv its right-hand end the bottom wall is curved upwardly, as at 2e, and such upturned end of the bottom wall merges with the end wall 7 of the container body. A hollow boss 70 is formed on the end wall 7, and the interior of such boss forms a curved surface leading to the channel 8. A port 9 in the end wall 7 provides the entrance to and only opening of the channel 8.

Within the bore 3 a plunger or piston head 10 is reciprocable, and the head 10 is provided with a plunger or piston rod which-advantageously is formed as a strip or tape 11 of elastic metal, having a line of accurately spaced orifices 1.2 (Fig. 5). As shown in Fig. 8, the body of the plunger 10 is provided with a pair of spaced lugs 13, 13 and an intermediate lug 14. One end of the tape 11 is transversely flexed over the lug 14 and the two adjacent corners of the strip are crimped and severally latched beneath the lugs 13. Thus, the one end of the transversely flexed or bowed tape 11 is attached to the center of the plunger 10. From the plunger 10 the tape 11 extends through the port 9 into the channel 8, and in making the bend or reverse curve 13 in the body of the tape 11 the transverse bow is temporarily removed from the strip, rendering the otherwise longitudinally rigid body of the tape perfectly flexible at the bend 13. From the latter bend the tape body extends slideably into the channel 8. The reach of the tape 11 between the bend 13 and the plunger 10, however, remains transversely bowed, giving to such reach a rigidity, such as that obtained in the well-known conventional steel measuring tape withdrawn from the case in which it is coiled. A mechanism is provided for cooperation with the orificed tape 11, in order that the plunger may be advancedand retracted in the bore 3 at the will of the user.

Such mechanism comprises a pinion wheel 14 that is formed of a cylindrical body 16 having an annular series of teeth 15 that are shaped and spaced to engage the orifices in the tape 11. The cylindrical body of the pinion wheel is provided with journal portions 17 at its opposite ends, as shown in Fig. 7. The end of the lever opposite to that equipped with the cross-head 5 is provided witha pair of spaced arms 18, 18, each having a hole 19 of proper size to receive a journal portion 17 of the pinion wheel 14. In assembling the pinion, the legs 18 are sprung apart and the pinion wheel is inserted between them, whereupon the journal portions 17 are severally snapped into place in the holes 19. Indeed, the ends of the journal portions of the pinion wheel may be tapered, as shown at 17a in Fig. 7a, whereby the wheel may be pressed upwardly between the legs 18, to force the legs apart by wedging action and thus facilitate the lodging of the journals in the bearing holes 19. The pinion wheel is thus rotatably supported at the right-hand end of the lever 6.

The pinion wheel includes a bore 20 equipped with a key 21, with which a stem 22, having a keyway 25 (Fig. 5), is adapted to make engagement. the container body is ported, as at 23, through which port the arms 18 and the journaled pinion wheel are inserted. Journal bosses 24 are integrally formed on the internal faces of the side walls 2c and 2d of the container body;

" the bore 20 in the pinion wheel is aligned with the coaxial The top wall 2a of bores- 05- the bosses 24; and the teeth on thebottom portion of the pinion wheel are meshed with orifices in the body of tape 11 immediately belowthe wheel. Then, the stem 22 is inserted, as shown, holding the parts in assembly. Alternatively, the pinion wheel and lever may be assembled with the stem 22 before the plunger and tape 11 are introduced to the bore 3. After the stern has pivotally secured the lever and pinion wheel, the tape with the plunger attached thereto is inserted in the bore 3 and theinner end of the tape is passed beneath the pinion wheel, through the port 9, over or along the guiding surface formed by the inner face of curved portion 70, and into the channel 8, and the teeth on the pinion wheel are thus caused automatically to mesh with the orifices 12 in the tape. The resilient body of the tape 11 (due to the bend. 13 therein) bears upwardly against the bottom portion of the pinion wheel and maintains a pinion-and-rack engagement between the tape and the wheel. In cons..- quence of the keyed engagement of the stem 22 with the pinion wheel, the rotation of the stem in one direction or the other causes the plunger to advance or recede in the bore 3 of the container body. For convenience in manually rotating the stem 22 a knurled disk 26 is rigidly united on one end of the stem, which stem, incidentally, may be assembled from either side of the container structure to suit the convenience of the user.

The lever 6 may be swung on the axis of stem 22 between the closed position (indicated in full-lines in Fig. 2), in which the cross-head covers the open end of the bore 3 in the container body, and the open position (indicated in dotted lines), in which the cross-head uncovers the end of said bore. A leaf-spring 27 is biased between the top wall 2a of the container body and the lever 6, the stress of such spring tending to urge and sustain the lever in open position.

In service the plunger or head 10 is, by rotation of stem 22, retracted to the right-hand end of bore 3 (Fig. 2), it being noted that the distal end 11a of the tape 11 strikes the end of channel 8 and arrests the plunger 10 at the inner end of its stroke, without the plunger striking the lever legs 18 or the pinion wheel 16. A loaf or bar of butter, or oleomargarine, or other selected product (not shown) is now inserted through the open end of the container. Then, the lever 6 is swung against the pressure of the spring 27 into closed position, whereby the cross-head closes the open end of bore 3. A detent 28 is slideably secured in a slot 29 in the body of the lever, and this detent includes a portion 30 arranged to engage a catch 31 rigid with the top wall of the container, whereby to hold the lever in its full-line position, with the cross-head closed upon the otherwise open end of the bore 3. Thus, the loaf material is enclosed Within the container for storage in a refrigerator, or for transportation, etc.

When it is desired to use some of the contained loaf, the user slides the detent 28 from engagement with catch 31. The lever swings into the dotted-line position, opening the end of the container. The user then rotates the disk 26, advancing the loaf along the bore 3, until so much as is desired of the loaf projects from the open end of the container.

It may be noted that the outer face of the plunger, to which the numeral 10 is immediately applied in Fig. 2, may be serrated or otherwise roughened, so that the soft substance of: the contained loaf will adhere to the plunger during the movement of the plunger in either direction in the bore 3.

A cutter is provided, in this case in the'form of a fine wire 32 secured taut at the lower edge of the cross-head 5, as shown. When the desired portion of the loaf has been projected from the open end of the container, the

lever is pressed downwardly against spring tension, and

thecutter severs the said portion from the body of the loaf remaining in the container. The operationdescribed may be repeated to obtain any desired number of portions or slices from the loaf. Then, the lever 6may be secured a in closed position and the container returned to the refrigerator, or other chosen place.

The particular details of construction of the dispensing container described are of the essence of this invention. The structural parts may be formed as die-castings of aluminum, or white metal, or the like, but preferably they are formed of plastic materiala plastic material which lends itself to injection molding. It is desirable that the assembled structure may be readily taken apart, to permit the thorough and ready cleansing of it. With this thought in mind it is to be noted that the container body comprises two halves or sections 2A and 213, as shown in Fig. 1. On the bottom wall of sections 2A and 2B means are provided for uniting or engaging the sections; conveniently, section 23 is provided with two lugs 33 and 34, for engagement in eyes 35 and 36 formed on the section 2A. With the two sections positioned as shown in Fig. 1, the lugs 33 and 34 are severally inserted in the eyes 35 and 36, and the section 2A is then swung upwardly about the engaged lugs and eyes as a hinge, until the longitudinal edges-of the two sections are in abutment. Adjacent to the top edges of the two sections 2A and 2B attaching lugs 37 and- 38 are integrally formed, such lugs being undercut or grooved, as shown at 39 in Fig. 9. When the two container body sections 2A and 2B have been brought into edge-to-edge. assembly the lugs 37 and 38 stand side by side. If desired, the meeting edges of the two sections 2A and 2B may be formed to provide a tongue-and-groove engagement of such edges. This is a detail known in the art, and for that reason is not illustrated in the drawings herein.

The lower end of leaf-spring 27 is bifurcaed, including a notch 40 (Fig. 9). The bifurcated end of the leaf-spring is embraced and wedged upon the abutting lugs 37 and 38, the two limbs of the bifurcated end of the spring being secured severally in the grooves 39, 39. The so-embraced lugs are securely held together, and the lower end of the spring is also securely anchored to the top of the assembled container body for cooperation with the lever 6. The engaged lugs 37, 38 at the top of the container, and the spaced lug-and-eye units 33, 35 and 34, 36 at the bottom of the container provide an effective union of the two container body sections 2A and 2B, while manifestly permitting the ready taking apart of the sections for cleaning. The catch 31, which cooperates with the lever-securing detent 28 is, it will be noted, formed integrally with the attaching lug 37 on body section 2B.

Turning to a specific consideration of the cross-head 5, it is important to note that cross-head comprises an arcshaped wall portion, to which the reference numeral 5 is immediately applied, and a side flange 41 along each side edge of such wall portion. These side flanges 41. overlap the sides of the container body adjacent its dispensing or open end, and, continuing in flanges 42 along the body of the lever 6, insure an effective and sturdy closure for the dispensing end of the container body.

The stresses to which the lever and cross-head are subjected (when the cutter 32 is severing relatively hard or cold butter, or cheese) are substantial. The reinforcement afforded by flanges 41 and 42 is, therefore, a feature of great value. A further feature that aflords strength for the assembly in service is provided by a slideable engagement of the cross-head 5 to the end of the container body. More particularly, a groove 43 (Figs. 2 and 4) is provided within the outer surface of each side wall of the container body, and a rigid lug 44 is provided on the lower end of each of the flanges 41 of the cross-head. The lugs 44 severally engage the grooves 43. The grooves 43 are curved to the radius of the arc on which the cross-head swings when the lever 6 moves on its axis 22, and the engagement of the lugs in the grooves is readily maintained when the lever is swung, to prevent the lower edge of the cross-head from being sprung away from the end of the container body, particularly during a cutting stroke. An effective 1 and sturdy assembly is thus realized in a structure of relatively light sections and weight. The grooves 43 terminate near the top wall 2a of the container, and the lugs 44 abut against the closed ends of the groove and limit the extent to which the lever and cross-head can swing upward under the stress of spring 27.

In order that a relatively large area of the curved wall 5 of the cross-head will not drag on the severed end of the loaf in the open end of the container, the curved wall 5 is made eccentric with respect to the curved end edges of the side walls 20 and 2d of the container body, with the efiect that lower edge of the wall 5 and the cutter wire 32 move tangentially along such end edges of the container body, and a clearance 45 (Fig. 2) remains between the remainder of the cross-head wall 5 and the 5a cooperates with the body of the cross-head and its side. flanges 41, to insure a relatively tight enclosure for dispensing end 4 of the container. ,Various modifications may be embodied in the structure described, without departing from the spirit of the invention defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A device of the class described comprising a container body that is open at one end and has an elongate bore to contain a loaf product to be dispensed, a channel extending along the wall of said container body, the end of the body opposite to said open end having a curved guiding surface leading to said channel, a product-ejecting plunger head reciprocable in said bore, a flexible tape having a longitudinally extending line of orifices, said tape being secured at one of its two ends to said plunger head and extending therefrom in a reverse curve along said guiding surface into said channel, a pinion journaled in said body and meshed with the orifices in said tape, and a device for manually rotating said pinion selectively in alternate directions positively to drive said tape longitudinally and propel said plunger head either forwardly or rearwardly in the bore of said container body.

2. A device of the class described comprising a container body that is open at one end and has an elongate bore to contain a loaf product to be dispensed, a channel extending along the wall of said container body, the end of the body opposite to said open end having a curved guiding surface leading to said channel, a product-ejecting plunger head reciprocable in said bore, a flexible tape having a longitudinally extending line of orifices, said tape being secured at one of its two ends to said plunger head and extending therefrom in a reverse curve along said guiding surface into said channel, a pinion journaled in said body in position externally of the curve in said tape, with the orificed tape pressed under the stress of its inherent resilience into engagement with the pinion, and a device for manually rotating said pinion selectively in alternate directions positively to drive said tape longitudinally and propel said plunger head either forwardly or rearwardly in the bore of said container body.

3. A device of the class described comprising a container body that is open at one end and has an elongate bore to contain a loaf product to be dispensed, a channel extending along the wall of said container body, the end of the body opposite to said open end having a curved guiding surface leading to said channel, a prodnet-ejecting plunger head reciprocable in said bore, a resilient metal tape bowed in cross section and having a longitudinally extending line of orifices, said tape being secured at one of its two ends to the center of said plunger head and extending therefrom in a reverse curve, with said transverse bow flattened, along said guiding surface into said channel, a pinion journaled in said body and meshed with the orifices in said tape, and a device for manually rotating said pinion selectively in alternate directions positively to drive said tape longitudinally and propel said plunger head either forwardly or rearwardly in the bore of said container body.

4. A device of the class described comprising a tubular container body open at one end and having an elongate bore whose cross section corresponds to that of a loaf product to be received therein, said tubular container body being formedof two half-sections having paired top and bottom attaching devices on opposite longitudinally meeting edges for detachably securing the sections together, a plunger in said bore, a manually operable mechanism for reciprocating said plunger in the bore to dispense selected portions of the contained loaf through said open end, a lever pivoted at one end to said body, a cross-head at the other end of said lever movable with the swing of the lever between a position in which the dispensing end of said body is open and a position in which the cross-head is closed on such end, means slideably interengaging said cross-head to the opposite side walls of the body of the tubular container at its said open end, a cuttercarried by said cross-head for severing the portion of the contained 'loaf dispensed .by said plunger and mechanism when said cross-head is moved into closed position, a leaf-spring biased between said body and said lever and urging said lever toward the position in which the dispensing end of the container body is open, one end of said leaf-spring being notched to engage and secure a top pair of said attaching devices, a slideable means interengaging said cross-head to the side walls of said tubular body and the engaged pairs of attaching devices cooperating in securing the halfsections of said body in assembly to provide said bore in which said plunger is reciprocable, and a movable detent carried by said lever for removable engagement with said top pair of attaching devices to secure said lever against the tension of said spring in position with the cross-head closed upon the dispensing end of said body.

5. In a device of the class described comprising a container body open at one end and having an elongate bore whose cross section corresponds to that of a loaf product to be received therein, a closed channel extending along the bottom of said container body, the closed end of said body including an upwardly curved continuation of said channel, a port opening from said bore into said upwardly curved continuation, a plunger in said bore, and a manually operable mechanism for reciprocating said plunger in the bore to dispense selected portions of the contained loaf through said open end, the invention herein described wherein said mechanism comprises a perforated flexible tape extending from said plunger, through said port, and into said channel, a pinion wheel meshing with the perforations in the tape, and means for manually rotating the pinion wheel selectively in opposite directions positively to drive said tape and the plunger secured thereto in either direction longitudinally of said container body.

6. A device of the class described comprising a container body having top, bottom and opposite side walls, said body being open at one end and having an elongate bore whose cross section corresponds to that of a loaf product to be received therein, a plunger in said bore, a manually operable mechanism for reciprocating said plunger in the bore to dispense selected portions of the contained loaf through said open end, said mechanism comprising a flexible tape having a longitudinally-extending line of orifices, said tape being secured at one of its two ends to said plunger and extending therefrom in a reverse curve, a pinion journaled in said body and meshed with the orifices in said tape, and a device for selectively rotating said pinion in alternate directions positively to drive said tape longitudinally and propel said plunger either forwardly or rearwardly in said bore; a lever pivoted at one end to, said body, a cross-head atthe other end. of said lever movable with the swi g. of the,1'ever between a position in whichpthe dispensing endofj said body is open. and a position inwhich the cross-head is closed on such end, an arcuate groove in each of said opposite side walls, lugs on said cross-head severally extending into such grooves for slideably engaging said cross-head to the body of the container at its said open end, a cutter carried by said cross-head for severing the portion of the contained loaf dispensed by said plunger when said cross-head is moved into closed position, and a leaf-spring biased between said body and said lever for urging said lever toward the positionrin which the dispensing end of the container body, is open.

7. A device of the, class described comprising a container body having top, bottom and opposite side walls, said body being open at oneend and having an elongate bore whose cross section corresponds to that of a loaf product to be received therein, a plunger in said bore, a manually operable mechanism for reciprocating said plunger in the bore to dispense selected portions of the contained loaf throughsaid open end, a lever pivoted. at one end to said body, a cross-head at the other end of said lever movable with the swing of the lever between a positi'on in which the dispensing end of said body is open and a position in which the cross-head is closed on such end, an arcuate groove in each of said opposite side walls, lugs on said cross-head severally extending into such grooves for slideably engaging said cross-head to the body of the, container at its said open end, a cutter carried by said, cross-head for severing the portion of the contained loaf dispensed. by said plunger when said crosshead is moved into closed position, and a leaf-spring biased between said body and said lever for urging said lever toward the position in which the dispensing end of the container body is open.

ReferencesCited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 760,121 Hill May 17, 190.4 2,240,046? Marra Apr. 29, 1941 2,274,621 Wahlstrom et al. Feb. 24, 1942 2,356,179 Proudman et al. Aug.. 22,1944, 2,595,696 Paul May- 6, 19 52: 

